Here's the Old, Old Story of Jesus and His love to sinners: The whole world is lost in sin, and God must punish all sin, so He sent His dear Son, Christ Jesus into the world to suffer, bleed, and die to pay the penalty due to human sin. Jesus never sinned Himself, but He bore my sins, and suffered the wrath and vengeance of God that divine justice called for on my behalf. Jesus came voluntarily to take my sins upon Himself, so that He might honor the divine Law of God, and pay the penalty due to divine Justice for me. God's only Remedy for my guilt is His Son's own Atoning Blood. Jesus was perfectly obedient to the Law, and yielded Himself up to the death penalty for my sake.
This is the Gospel Message: God became a Jewish man in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. He was obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. There is no putting away human sin without a sinless blood Sacrifice. There is only one Sacrifice that can put away human sins, and that is Jesus Christ the Righteous. The Lamb of God is the one Sacrifice for all sins forever. He is divine, yet human; the Son of God, yet the Son of Mary. Jesus was God and man in one sinless Person. Jesus is the great God, the true God, the living God, the mighty God, God over all blessed forever. He yielded up His sinless life, the Just for the unjust, the Sinless for the sinful, that He might bring us to God, and reconcile us back to our Creator. Now whosoever believeth in Christ Jesus shall live forever and ever.
And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
The human mind is easily distracted and tends to forget the Gospel message so soon. You are the very sinner Jesus came to earth to save. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners: He did this especially for you. Trust your sinful soul to Christ, He is God's great atoning Sacrifice for sinners, and you shall be saved from the love and practice of sinning. The sinner that believes on the Son of God hath everlasting life. *John 3:16*
The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Person who is God as well as man. The Blessed Savior descended from Heaven to earth; the Lord of hosts became a human being; He lived in the midst of sinful men. He was despitefully entreated, scorned, hated, and nailed to a Cross. Jesus bled away His life on the Cross, that He might redeem us sinners. Jesus left His heavenly home and became a poor man, so He could die for His enemies. The dear Lamb of God left His glory and throne above to bear my sins and their punishment on dark Calvary.
Up Calvary's mountain, one dreadful morn, walked Christ Jesus, God Incarnate, weary and worn; facing for me death on the Cross, that He might save me from endless loss. No one but Jesus ever loved me so. Jesus was wounded for my transgressions; He bore my sins in His own body on the tree. For my guilt, He gave me mercy and grace. For my rebellion, He gave me compassion and kindness. My sins were so great, that God Himself put on human flesh, He loved me so, I trust to His blood, and now I am safe forever. *I John 3:2*
This is the Gospel Message: God became a Jewish man in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. He was obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. There is no putting away human sin without a sinless blood Sacrifice. There is only one Sacrifice that can put away human sins, and that is Jesus Christ the Righteous. The Lamb of God is the one Sacrifice for all sins forever. He is divine, yet human; the Son of God, yet the Son of Mary. Jesus was God and man in one sinless Person. Jesus is the great God, the true God, the living God, the mighty God, God over all blessed forever. He yielded up His sinless life, the Just for the unjust, the Sinless for the sinful, that He might bring us to God, and reconcile us back to our Creator. Now whosoever believeth in Christ Jesus shall live forever and ever.
And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
The human mind is easily distracted and tends to forget the Gospel message so soon. You are the very sinner Jesus came to earth to save. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners: He did this especially for you. Trust your sinful soul to Christ, He is God's great atoning Sacrifice for sinners, and you shall be saved from the love and practice of sinning. The sinner that believes on the Son of God hath everlasting life. *John 3:16*
The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Person who is God as well as man. The Blessed Savior descended from Heaven to earth; the Lord of hosts became a human being; He lived in the midst of sinful men. He was despitefully entreated, scorned, hated, and nailed to a Cross. Jesus bled away His life on the Cross, that He might redeem us sinners. Jesus left His heavenly home and became a poor man, so He could die for His enemies. The dear Lamb of God left His glory and throne above to bear my sins and their punishment on dark Calvary.
Up Calvary's mountain, one dreadful morn, walked Christ Jesus, God Incarnate, weary and worn; facing for me death on the Cross, that He might save me from endless loss. No one but Jesus ever loved me so. Jesus was wounded for my transgressions; He bore my sins in His own body on the tree. For my guilt, He gave me mercy and grace. For my rebellion, He gave me compassion and kindness. My sins were so great, that God Himself put on human flesh, He loved me so, I trust to His blood, and now I am safe forever. *I John 3:2*
Jesus died in my place, bearing on Calvary my sin and disgrace. He was numbered among the transgressors, He was despised and rejected by me; a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. He was despised, and I esteemed Him not. I esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. He died so I could be freely forgiven; He became Sin so He could make me righteous and acceptable before God. I am forever saved by His Precious Blood. As my atoning Sacrifice He died, that the divine justice of God might be satisfied, and all my sins were laid on Him. Now, all my transgressions against God's holy law are gone forever, only because Jesus was wounded for me.
Now mark it down, and get it down pat - Someone must pay for your sins - it must either you or Christ Jesus, it's up to you. It was God Himself who died for you on Calvary's Cross. *I John 3:16* God laid down His life for you. Jesus was none other that the One who made the heavens, but He came down to Earth, to pay your way to Heaven with His own blood. God descended from the highest throne of glory, put on human flesh, and loved you to death. In Jesus' blood alone, there is power and merit enough to make Atonement to Almighty God, so guilty sinners can be accepted in the Beloved.
Jesus laid aside His eternal glory to become a Jewish peasant. He lived a life of pure Holiness, and then died a death of brutal scorn, shame and agony. His torn body was taken down from the Cross, and was laid in a borrowed tomb, and the third day, He rose again from the dead, then 40 days later, He ascended into Heaven, and now He sits at the right hand of God.
Jesus laid aside His eternal glory to become a Jewish peasant. He lived a life of pure Holiness, and then died a death of brutal scorn, shame and agony. His torn body was taken down from the Cross, and was laid in a borrowed tomb, and the third day, He rose again from the dead, then 40 days later, He ascended into Heaven, and now He sits at the right hand of God.
Liars, gossipers, thieves, slanderers, drunkards, sodomites, backbiters, gluttons, swearers, adulterers, whisperers, haters of God, harlots, murderers, and whoremongers are all welcome at the Cross. The filthier you are, the welcomer you are. The Precious Blood that flowed from Immanuel's veins is not for dignified, self-improved, religious, self-righteous folks. The Atoning Blood is only for guilty wretches that are tired and fed up with their sins.
Men always forget that infinite Mercy is only found at the Cross, and think that it is to be found somewhere else, and try to slip away from the humbling scriptural fact of their lost and helpless estate. They imagine a vain thing, that there is some other back door of escape; they think they are not as bad as the Scriptures declare. The sinner must be debased, and Christ must be exalted - this is the humbling plan of Gospel Grace. The Gospel doctrines are completely contrary to the self-righteous carnal mind. The Gospel is humbling to human pride, and insulting to self-esteem.
Your soul is deeply ingrained with your iniquities. Idolatry and rebellion against God are ingrained in your sinful nature. The plain, unflattering, humbling Gospel of Christ declares that you cannot help save yourself, and that Jesus must do all the saving, or you will perish in your sins. The sinner's Savior is not to your taste. The Gospel for lost sinners is not for respectable folks like you. You may think you can help save yourself from sin, just try it, and you will perish in the doing of it. The Gospel is never palatable to self-glorying human nature. The Gospel will never flatter the dignity of man, or the excellency of self-help. The Gospel is only for vulgar sinners.
Vain human nature cannot endure the true, pure Gospel message. The noise and static of worldly gain, competition, cares, and pleasures - these all drown out the still, small voice of the Holy Ghost, the eternal voice of Truth. The Almighty God became a sinless human being and laid down His life as a Substitute for the ungodly, and He did it all out of pure Love for His enemies. *Romans 5:9* Jesus is the Friend of sinners. As long as you neglect Christ, you are ruining yourself, you are living on the borders of the grave and Hell. If you don't watch it, before long, your soul will be lost to all Eternity. You must escape the wrath to come by simple faith in Jesus' blood, or be driven forever from God's presence, and from all hope of joy and peace.
All your vain glory and self-excellence must be withered up by the unseen and unrecognized work of the Holy Ghost. Only the Spirit of God can surely show a man his lost and condemned state, and then point that sinner to the Lamb of God for mercy and forgiveness. He uses the divine Law to reveal the evil which lurks in all of your thoughts, words, actions, desires, tendencies, and imaginations. You see, Salvation is all a work of God, God planned out our Salvation. Christ Jesus came and accomplished our Salvation with His own Blood, and now the Holy Ghost convinces and enlightens us to our need of Salvation, gives us the Faith to believe on Jesus, and then He gives us His great Salvation. Now understand - God must get all the glory when it comes to Salvation, and you must get none - this is the Good Old Way. Believe the Gospel, and you shall find rest for your soul. *Matthew 11:28*
The Gospel will never flatter human goodness, but deals directly with your sins and misery. It is a very humbling day when a man truly understands that for every idle word he has spoken, he will be brought to account before God, and that all of his evil desires and unclean imaginations will all come under divine scrutiny of his Maker. Don't let this world's empty glory deceive you and cost you your soul. Only Christ Jesus' Blood and Righteousness can save you from the Hell you deserve. This is the Old, Old Story of Jesus and His Love.
